SLO Council approves sanctuary city-style resolution

April 6, 2017

Led by Mayor Heidi Harmon, the city of San Luis Obispo has responded to a purported crackdown on illegal immigration by the Trump Administration with a resolution declaring all people, irrespective of immigration status, welcome in SLO and instructing city staff to not directly enforce federal immigration laws.

However, city officials say the resolution does not run afoul of an executive order issued by President Donald Trump that denies federal funding to sanctuary cities. San Luis Obispo receives federal funds for community development, transportation and public safety efforts.

On Tuesday, the San Luis Obispo City Council unanimously adopted a resolution instructing city employees, including police, to not directly enforce federal civil immigration laws and to not use city funds, resources or personnel to investigate, question, detect or apprehend anyone solely for immigration violations, unless required by state or federal law. The resolution also directs city employees, as well as residents, to report acts of bullying, discrimination and violent hate against suspected immigrants.

Following the council meeting, the city issued a press release stating the resolution does not put San Luis Obispo in the category of sanctuary cities, as defined by Trump’s executive order.

Jurisdictions that merely restrict the use of resources to inquire into, investigate or collect immigration status information are not classified as sanctuary cities under Trump’s executive order, city staff said in the press release. Thus, the city’s resolution does not direct any action that conflicts in any way with the federal law on which the executive order is based, the news release says.

Sanctuary cities are commonly viewed as jurisdictions that refuse to honor detainer requests issued by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Several California counties are considered to have sanctuary city policies, including Alameda, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, Sacramento and San Francisco counties.

“As police, our main goal is to ensure public safety,” Cantrell said. “With that in mind, we don’t ask people their status — whether they are considered potential victims, witnesses or suspects. Of course, undocumented immigrants who commit serious and/or violent crimes should be subject to federal immigration laws, but our local police do not have the jurisdiction or legal authority to enforce immigration law.”

Cantrell also said it is city policy to treat everyone equally and to maintain a safe community, building trust between immigrant communities and law enforcement.

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DPINC

As far as illegals being able to afford SLO COUNTY , what is to stop them from doing more illegal activity to be able to live in the area , a visit to a CA VALLEY marijuana grow should reveal where some of the illegals are being able to afford a SLO COUNTY way of life . when an illegal has automatic approval for such things as FREE : CELL PHONES , FREE FOOD , REDUCED HOUSING, WELFARE , welfare actually pays to repair their cars and their cars are newer than mine . FREE MEDICAL, FREE DENTAL , FREE COLLEGE , ETC. ETC. So it does appear an illegal could afford to live in SLO COUNTY

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04/07/2017 12:19 pm

AmericaBeautiful

In other words, Yeah, we PAY them to.

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04/10/2017 8:03 pm

SamLouis

Maybe we should have retained Marx, no matter how bad she was? This Harmon sounds like a child…

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04/07/2017 10:35 am

r0y

“instructing city staff to not directly enforce federal immigration laws.”

How is that even remotely legal? Can they instruct us not to enforce prostitution laws? Tax Codes? Regulations of any kind? And when everything falls apart, is the Board going to sit in prison for all the crimes they previously instructed their staff to commit?

All people, irrespective of immigration status, welcome in SLO. I am wondering how many illegal immigrants can afford to live in San Luis Obispo?

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04/07/2017 7:22 am

r0y

Ah ha, Marneye! You’ve stumbled upon the Achilles heel of liberal progressivism! All their touting and grand-standing is all fine and dandy, until it actually effects them or their neighborhood. While safely tucked away at an over-paid (public) job, in an affluent community, they can trip all over themselves bemoaning the plight of law-breaking trespassers… until said law-breakers trespass on their affluent homes.